Flushing system for water-closets.



I w. E. BURKE.

FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER CLOSETS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1914.

1,1 85,474. Patented May 30, 191-6.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

L7 7 M 1 -T\\ l4- l 5 Inventor- ZdzZZmmz, 2wrz'e/ waee s as I w. E. BURKE. I FLUSH ING SYSTEM FOR WATER CLOSETS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 23. 1914- 1,1 5,474.

Patented May 30,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 7flz% 2 eases I wazwvz z WILLIAM E. BURKE, OF LORAIN,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To MARY BOSCH, or

LORAIN, OHIO.

FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIA'M E. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lorain, in the county of Lorain and State for water closets and more especially to the means or devices included therein for controlling the supply of water to, and 1ts discharge from the tank. It proposes certain hereinafter-described improvements in the construction and arrangement of the afore said devices and the pipes with which the same are associated, whereby a siphonic action is set up, when the closet is operated, which enables the water to be discharged with sutlicient force to completely flush the bowl and which avoids the use of the rubber ball valve ordinarily employed and the troubles attendant thereupon; and it further proposes a flushing system having the general features just stated which is extremely simple, certain and positive ip operation, inexpensive both to manufacture and to install, and applicable with equal facility to either elevated or low closets.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereof Figure l is a fragmental vertical section of a flushing tank having the said invention applied thereto, with the various parts in normal position; Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is'a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in operated position; Fig. 4 is an enlarged part-sectional detail of the bib and its valve; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on line 55, Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to said drawing, 1 indicates the water tank, 2 the inlet pipe leading thereinto, and 8 the outlet or discharge pipe connecting said tank with the bowl, (not shown), these parts being of standard type and, therefore, requiring no special description. The pipe 2 terminates in a bib 4, or other controlling device, containing a suitable valve 5, to which the float lever 6 is attached, the latter, in its normal or raised position, holding said valve closed. Any preferred device may be employed to depress said lever, for the purpose of opening the valve, that shown comprising a hori- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed September 23, 1914. Serial No. 863,125.

zontal rock shaft 7, mounted in the tank and having a handle 8, or the like, and a depending arm 9 secured to said shaft and provided with a curved finger or hook 10 that projects across the lower portion of the lever. The spout of the bib 1 is also equipped with a valve 11 which, however, is normally open, having associated with it a spring 12 that is so arranged as to exert downward pressure upon the valve rod 13; said valve is closed when shaft 7 is operated, being connected, for such purpose, with a second arm 14; on said shaft, by a chain or other element 15. i

In the construction illustrated, which, for

all. present purposes, may be considered as preferred, the contents of the tank 1 are discharged into the outlet pipe 3 by way of an inverted U-shaped pipe 16 which is of precisely the same diameter as the said pipe 3, and has one arm secured directly thereto, the other arm terminating a short distance from the tank bottom. This U-shaped pipe is designed to siphon the water from the tank, as previously stated, and to set up such action, connection is established between the said pipe and the bib, so that water from the inlet pipe will be supplied to the long arm of the siphon pipe, the passage of the jet through said arm causing the requisite fiowv of the water in the tank into the other arm. In the present instance, the spout of the bib and the top of the siphon pipe areconnected by a pipe 17 of relatively small diameter, adjacent to which is arranged the arm 14 on the rock shaft, this pipe 17 being, likewise, of inverted U-shape. It will be understood, therefore, that when the said shaft is operated, its arm 14: will pull the valve rod 13 upwardly, through the agency of the chain or other connecting element 15, with the result that the valve 11 is forced into the spout of, the bib, thus preventing discharge therefrom. At the same time, the other arm 9 will depress the float lever 6, the latter, during its descent, opening the main valve 5, whereupon the water entering the bib from the inlet pipe 2 will pass through said bib into the pipe 17, and thence into the siphon pipe, the jet being discharged axially into the outlet arm of the latter, owing to the shape of pipe 17. The inner portion of the float lever is preferably curved abruptly upward, so that during the operation of the shaft and the consequent flushing operation. As soon as such operation commences, the water level drops, whereupon the float lever sinks slightly lower, thereby disengaging finger 10, with the result that the parts 9 and 14L, together with the handle, which has previously been released, return to normal position, the valve 11- being opened simultaneously by the ac tion of its controlling spring 12. Water then flows into the tank through the bib spout, but, by reason of the relatively small diameter of said spout, as compared with that of the siphon pipe, will not affect the siphonic action, which will continue until the water level drops below the open end of the short arm of said siphon pipe. The filling action will then commence, and will continue slowly until the float lever is raised to an extent sufficient to close the main valve 5. The flushing action takes place very rapidly, and is very complete, owing to the relatively large volume of the body of water discharged into the bowl, and to the pressure of such body, the siphon jet from the pipe 17 not only producing this action but, also, materially assisting it.

1. In a flushing system for water closets, the combination with a flushing tank, and water supply and discharge pipes leading to and from the same; of a bib attached to the supply pipe within the tank and provided with a main controlling valve; a secondary ,v'alve arranged in the spout of said bib; a siphon pipe arranged within the tank and having one arm thereof connected to the discharge pipe; a pipe leading from the bib between said valves to the upper end of that arm of the siphon pipe which is connected to said discharge pipe; a float carrying lever having means connecting it directly to said main controlling valve and also having means connecting it to said secondary valve; and means for depressing said float carrying lever to open said main valve and to simultaneously close said secondary valve and embodying a device controlled by the level of water in the tank and operative to hold said valves in such position until the tank is empty, whereby water will be caused to flow from said bib through said connecting pipe and into the upper end of thearm of the siphon pipe leading to the discharge pipe to set up and maintain siphonic action and to forcibly discharge the water from the tank until the latter is empty.

'2. In a flushing system for water closets, the combination, with a flushing tank and water supply and discharge pipes leading to and from the same; of a bib attached to the supply-pipe within the tank and provided with main and secondary controlling valves; an operating lever connected to the main valve; a siphon pipe arranged within said tank and having one arm connected to the discharge pipe; a pipe connecting said bib and said siphon pipe; and an actuating device having an arm engageable with said lever to depress the same and open the main valve, and a second arm connected with the secondary valve, to close the latter when said main valve is opened, whereby water will be caused to flow from said bib through said connecting pipe and into said siphon pipe, to set up siphonic action.

3. In a flushing system, the combination of a tank having a siphon therein and a discharge pipe leading from the siphon; a water supply pipe leading to the tank; a bib connected to the supply pipe for introducing water into the tank, the bib having a main valve and a secondary valve at the outlet thereof; and a jet pipe leading from the bib between said valves into the siphon; of means operative manually to initially open the main valve and simultaneously close the secondary valve and having a device controlled by the level of water in the tank to maintain said valves in such position until the tank is substantially empty.

4t. The combination with a flushing tank and water supply and discharge pipes lead ing respectively to and from the same; of a bib in the tank connected to the water supply tank and provided with a main control.- ling valve and a secondary valve arranged in the outlet of the bib; a siphon pipe arranged within the tank and having one arm thereof connected to the water discharge pipe; a jet pipe leading from the bib between said valves into the siphon; and means including a float in the tank operative to simultaneously'open the main valve and close the secondary valve and to retain said valves in such position under the control of the level of water in the tank until the tank is substantially empty.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM E. BURKE.

lVitnesses Rosn M. Snr'roN, EDA S. MUELLER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G." I 

